#SPINE DEFINITION HOW TO#

The spine’s vertebrae are what need to be in a healthy alignment with one another to maintain the healthy spinal curvatures.Īdjacent vertebrae are separated by intervertebral discs, and these discs also play a role in maintaining normal spinal curvatures and optimal spinal biomechanics. When an abnormal spinal curvature develops, it can affect multiple areas of the back, including the surrounding muscles, vessels, and nerves.Įach vertebra has four facet joints, a pair that faces upwards, and a pair that faces downwards these interlock with the facet joints of adjacent vertebrae to give the spine stability and structure. If you were to run your hand down the center of a spine, you would feel bony protrusions, and this is what’s called ‘the spinous process’, providing an area of attachment for the back muscles charged with supporting and stabilizing the spine. The holes in the center of each vertebra form the spinal canal, and this canal is where the spinal nerves pass through the spine and brain work in tandem to form the body’s central nervous system (CNS), controlling many of the body’s essential functions. Each vertebral body is the main weight-bearing source of the spine, and it also is the resting place for the intervertebral discs that sit between adjacent vertebrae. The individual bones that make up the spine have several parts. The cervical spine is home to 7 vertebrae the thoracic spine has 12, and the lumbar spine has 5. A bone called the ‘sacrum’ is located below the lumbar spine, and this is part of the pelvis.Įach of these spinal sections consists of individual bones, called vertebrae. The spine is made up of three main sections: cervical (neck), thoracic (middle and upper back), and lumbar (lower back). It allows us to stand upright and maintain good posture, engage in flexible movement, and gives the body structure and support. The spine is an important structure in human anatomy.

When a spine’s curves bend to the side, include rotation, or are over-or under-pronounced, this can indicate the development of a spinal condition.īefore we get into the natural and unnatural curvatures of the spine, and symptoms that indicate the difference, let’s first explore some basic spinal anatomy this will give us a better overall understanding of spinal biomechanics and how healthy and unhealthy curvatures can affect the spine’s function. While the spine has healthy curvatures that give it added strength, flexibility, and allow it to evenly distribute stress, it can also develop unhealthy curves. Keep reading to find out what constitutes an abnormal spinal curvature in need of assessment and treatment.

#SPINE DEFINITION HOW TO#

As healthy spines have curvatures that are natural and normal, people can wonder if their spine has an unnatural curvature and how to tell the difference. The spine has three main sections, each with a characteristic spinal curvature.

Spine definition